If You Have Trypophobia, Don’t Look at This Lake

If you have trypophobia—a fear of holes—close this browser tab now. British Columbia's "Kliluk" lake, as it's known to Canada's Okanagan First Nations people, or otherwise called "Spotted Lake" or "Polkadot Lake," is subject to seasonal evaporation causing colorful, roundish pools of minerals to pop up throughout. These mineral pools make the lake look as if it's full of holes.

Okay, if you have trypophobia and you're still reading, rest assured that's only the appearance—the "holes" aren't actually there, but the lake's otherworldly presentation does make it easier to believe it's considered an Earthly analogue for ancient lakes on Mars. That's because the lake's collection of minerals, coupled with its ultra-salty conditions, make it close to impossible for aquatic life to survive in it.

The Spotted Lake is also endorheic: No water flows in or out. It fills up with groundwater, snowmelt, and rain in the winter and fall. During the hot summer months, the water evaporates and leaves behind shallow mineral pools, each surrounded by crusty frames made of salt and minerals, like magnesium, sulfates, calcium, titanium, and sodium. The colors of the spots correspond to which minerals they're comprised of.

Today, the lake is privately owned by the Okanagan Nation Alliance, for whom it is a source of traditional medicine. Each spot within the sacred site is believed to hold its own individual medicinal properties. "We gather the water and mud to heal ourselves," said Bob Etienne, First Nations Holy Man and Nk'MIp Desert Cultural Centre guide, in a video. The epsom salts are particularly good for rheumatoid arthritis.

Visitors to the lake are expected to offer something to the body of water, itself, according to Etienne. If you don't have anything to offer, grab a friend and walk around the whole lake. "It lets us know that we're on the grounds of a sacred area and the ancestors are allowing us to be here," he said. And if you have a serious case of trypophobia, perhaps a stroll around the lake would help with your fear of holes, too.